Page 39 of Wraithwound

They nodded and hope bloomed once more in her traitorous heart.

“Do you know how to gain entry?” she asked.

“The Whispers hold many unspeakable things, but some say if you seek The Collector, the man said to have settled there, it won’t be long until he finds you,” Ada said. “It is also rumored he has access to a Seer.”

Lena blinked; she’d forgotten to mention her mother’s diary when she arrived. But if there was a Seer at The Whispers, she’d be able to gain access to it. Her brother had told her there was information in there that could help her.

“Here. Take this with you,” Eduard said, extending a wax-coated bag. She looked inside and found it was full of food, bandages and salves, and a small dagger sheathed in leather. She opened it and placed the tin inside, making sure to seal it up tightly.

“I want to apologize. To both of you. I— I let you down. And after everything you did, I just couldn’t⁠—

“You don’t have to apologize. You’ve endured so much. We’re just happy to be able to assist you in your time of need,” Eduard said. Ada smiled in agreement.

Lena nodded, her heart a little lighter. She had just cleared the steps when Ada called out to her, “Even the darkest nights are witnessed by stars. They shine their light upon us. Even if we can’t see it.”

Lena tucked those words close to her heart. Ada was right. Even though she felt alone, she wasn’t. She carried Henry’s soul within her. They’d faced difficult circumstances before, and they would do it again.

Chapter

Twenty-Five

Lena almost preferred wandering the forest in a fog like she had previously done. Now that she had taken time to wash, eat, and rest, she was more aware of her surroundings, particularly the noises in the forest.

While the Overgrown Forest was known for its eerie silence, this far from the fallen city, the animals made their presence known. Chittering from above set her teeth on edge, and the snap of twigs nearby made her jump. She steadied her breathing and continued moving, surprised when she realized she could see well enough to avoid running into wayward stones or fallen logs. Lena wasn’t quite sure how to feel about the change, so she shoved it out of her mind just like she did with every other unsettling thing she’d come to learn since receiving a wraithwound. Because the moment she stopped to think about it, the moment she let the thoughts take root, she would likely drown in the truth of it all.

Lena didn’t intend to travel straight through the night. She only meant to put some distance between herself and the couple. Every step she took away from their cabin pulled at her, as if tugging her back there. The comfort and familiarity Ada and Eduard offered was alluring, but she wouldn’t risk their lives. Lena walked for what felt like hours, and when the blanket of exhaustion became too heavy, Lena found a gap at the base of a tree that grew against a boulder and decided it would be as good a place as any to stop and rest.

She pulled her mother’s cloak tightly around her, the wool insulating her from the rough bark and cold stone. As she nestled into the crook of the tree, she felt grateful for Ada and Eduard’s willingness to help and relieved the wraith hadn’t taken over while she visited.

Lena fell asleep swiftly, knowing that her last hope lay in The Whispers with The Collector, whoever he was. As Lena shifted to get comfortable, she thought of Henry. He’d brought so much joy to her life, lifting the fog of grief and the ache of longing in her heart.

She fell asleep quickly, and for the first time in a long while, she dreamed.

Chapter

Twenty-Six

Lena dreamt of a man standing on a barren patch of earth. Upon closer inspection, she realized he stood on a towering sand dune, golden hair blowing in the acrid wind. The man was dressed in silver-plated armor, a long sword strapped to his muscled back and a shimmering metal helmet propped against his waist.

He appeared incorporeal, the wind blurring his image. He began to turn, and she had a distant sense that she knew him, but before she could see his face, Lena was jolted awake by a voice roaring in her ear.

“LENA, WAKE UP!”

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

The first thing she noticed was she no longer had control of her body. Unlike the first time the wraith had taken over, her legs took steady and balanced steps intent on reaching their destination. She stalked through the forest, her traitorous muscles abiding each and every foreign command. The second thing she realized was that she had doubled back towards Ada and Eduard’s cabin. And then the panic exploded within her.

No, no, no, this can’t be happening!

Lena threw herself at the walls barring her from the control she desperately sought. The control needed to freeze her muscles, to halt her limbs. She could sense the infection’s expanded reach inside her, its absolute focus on making it back there . . . but not to Ada. To Eduard. She vaguely remembered the pull she’d felt toward him when she’d first seen him. But why?

It was like a sentient being had stolen her body and taken it for themselves. Lena finally understood what it would mean to lose herself to the wraith.

She tried to catch a glimpse of the scenery, to look for familiar landmarks or distinguishing features in the terrain. To her dismay, she couldn’t tell at all where she was. Lena focused on the barriers keeping her trapped. She tried to push her energy, her being, outward.

Her body kept moving.